Developing familiarity with yams, true yams, particularly for folks who have none, is sure to surprise. As mentioned here, they are not the soft, sweet tubers Americans in the United States use to whip up pies, or casseroles. Those dishes are the domain of the delicate sweet potato.

I am late with this, at least here on the site. I’ve been talking up the 2011 International Year for People of African Descent since late 2010 with friends, on Twitter and on Facebook but haven’t done anything special to commemorate it with Roots Cuisine, for various reasons. Most of them logistical and […]

We’re very serious about promoting the foodways of African Diaspora and need your help. There are so many things to do and only so many hours in the day, and with a whole globe and quite a few languages to cover we need to develop our networks […]

Yam, igname, ñame, inhame… all rooted in various West African words: nyam, iyan that not only refer to the tuber itself, but can also mean food, or even to eat reflecting the importance of the vegetable to cultures throughout the region . In Jamaican the word for eat is nyam. No coincidences here. I have […]

As some of you know I’ve had a great opportunity to advance the cause of Roots Cuisine. I was offered the opportunity to be part of the U.S. State Department Speakers program back in November, which meant that I would be traveling to Turkey to speak (initially) about Louisiana foodways. Interest in topics has expanded […]

Hibiscus sabdariffa. Here in Jamaica, jamaica is sorrel. But, much like everything else throughout Diaspora (and around the world), there are one hundred and one names for the stuff. Alright, perhaps I exaggerate a bit, there are about five that I can think of including jamaica (my personal favorite) and sorrel. There […]

Ginger Beer. Not a favorite of mine, but both it’s appeal and presence are undeniable throughout West Africa and the Caribbean. People drink it to calm upset stomachs and as an aid to digestion, but also for the sheer enjoyment of it. In Jamaica, the ingredient list includes ginger, a few allspice berries, chew […]

Please explore tour Flickr gallery. We have many unique, high quality photos of food, cultural events, and landscapes, if you're interested in using a photo for something you're writing or for your website, please contact us for our Rights fee schedule and guidelines.

It's simple we're building a library collection and we need your help. From the beginning the Roots Cuisine Mission has been to promote the foodways and related culture of the African Diaspora. We want to be a clearinghouse for information where people can come to learn about these vibrant cuisines and cultures. Help us...

Join the Diaspora Foodways Network

Connect and share what you know about African Diaspora foodways.

Please fill out the form to become part of the library's global diaspora foodways network.